In today's world, many vehicles are equipped with systems for facilitating remotely controlled vehicle functions such as passive entry and passive starting (i.e., PEPS) of a host vehicle. When a vehicle is equipped with a PEPS system, a user may carry a mobile communication unit which can communicate with a base station located in the vehicle. To initiate communication, the base station may emit a relatively powerful Low Frequency (LF) electromagnetic field, causing a mobile communication unit that is sufficiently close to the base station to awaken. Once the mobile communication unit is awake, it may use Radio Frequency (RF) transmissions to dispatch signals, which may be validated by the base station. If the base station recognizes and approves the identity of the mobile communication unit, (i.e., the base station authenticates the mobile communication unit), the base station may facilitate the performance of a predefined vehicle function, such as actuating a door lock mechanism, causing the door to become unlocked. In such passive systems, the functions may be performed based solely on the position, or changes in the position, of the mobile communication unit, and the functions may be performed even though no specific command may have been initiated by the user.
For example, in some passive systems, an approach of the mobile communication unit toward the vehicle may be detected so that a desire for one or more vehicle functions to be performed (e.g., unlocking doors) may be anticipated and automatically provided in a manner that enhances the operator experience. In other passive systems, a departure of the mobile communication unit away from the vehicle may be detected so that one or more other functions (e.g., locking vehicle doors) may be performed.
In addition to the above-described passive communications, a vehicle communication system may also be configured to facilitate active communications among system components. Active communications may include transmissions initiated by a user seeking performance of a pre-defined function. For example, a user, by pressing a button or actuating a switch on a mobile communication unit, may actively initiate active communications with the vehicle, sending a command to lock or unlock the vehicle doors or to actively start the vehicle engine.
Unfortunately, by facilitating such active interactions, a vehicle communication system may increase the possibility for a user to submit an unintentional or inadvertent communication input via the mobile communication unit. If the user is in a position to observe the inadvertent instruction being performed, the user may correct the error by issuing a counteracting request. If the user is not so advantageously positioned, however, no corrective action may be initiated, and an undesirable consequence may occur. For example, if a mobile communication unit were configured with a button for sounding an alarm on the vehicle, and if a user were to inadvertently press the button while being situated so as to be unable to hear the alarm, yet within range for the command to be received by a base station in the vehicle, the alarm may be unintentionally activated without the knowledge of the user.
While such events are annoying, they may not be nearly as wasteful as having the vehicle engine running all day long while the user unknowingly conducts a full day of affairs in a nearby office. One can envision more damaging consequences where the mobile communication unit is configured for enabling a user to remotely open the vehicle windows. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a vehicle communication system that provides for active communications with a vehicle and control over vehicle functions, while also decreasing the likelihood of dispatching inadvertent or unintentional commands to be performed by the vehicle.
The present invention attempts to address or ameliorate at least some of the above problems associated with vehicle communication systems.